BMC initiates demolition work after NGT’s green signal to act against 5 studios operating illegally and in violation of the coastal zone norms
The two studios that were demolished on Friday
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday demolished two film studios at Madh in Malad West, a day after getting a go-ahead from the NGT. Three others will be demolished within the next two days, said a civic official.
“The action was taken as the studios were built in violation of the guidelines of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). Also, in 2019, these studios received temporary permission to operate,” a civic official said.
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The studio owners were to demolish the structures upon the expiry of the permission in October 2022, according to the BMC’s documents.
The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) issued notice to the illegal studios on September 12, 2022, following which the owners approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT). However, the NGT on March 6 dismissed their plea and ordered the BMC to take action on the studios.
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There are 22 studios at Madh, of which two have the permission of the Building Proposal department of the BMC. While two studios were demolished by the BMC previously, two others were demolished by their owners.
The BMC reportedly received 49 complaints about illegal studios between 2021 and 2022.
BMC administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal then ordered an enquiry into civic officials’ alleged role and the probe panel found 13 of them guilty. Six civic officials were from the Building Factory department and seven from the Assessment and Collection department. Chahal has the order to decide the quantum of punishment.
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